The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to a footwear construction and method for making the same.
Most conventional footwear constructions include an upper and an outsole. The upper accepts a wearer's foot, and the outsole contacts the ground and forms a wearing surface of the footwear. Many footwear constructions also include a midsole disposed between the upper and the outsole to provide increased cushion and comfort. Specifically, the midsole is constructed of a soft, resilient material that provides a cushion between the upper and the more rigid and durable outsole.
Footwear including a midsole typically is constructed with a process in which the midsole is “direct attached” to the upper in a mold. Conventional direct attach molds, however, include components that mate with one another in a manner that creates excess material, also referred to as “flashing,” on the visible side walls of the completed midsole. This flashing must be trimmed from the side walls of the midsole, and in so doing, forms a trim line on the side walls. To complete the footwear construction, an outsole is glued to the midsole, opposite the upper.
Although direct attach midsole constructions provide footwear with cushioning, the resulting exposed trim line—no matter neatly trimmed—is aesthetically displeasing and gives the footwear an unfinished appearance.
In one effort to conceal the trim line on the midsole side walls, the outsole is formed in a U-shape, with flanges that extend upwardly adjacent the midsole side walls high enough to conceal the trim line. This type of construction is referred to as a “cupped” outsole. Although this construction makes the shoe more aesthetically pleasing, the outsole flanges increase the overall width of the shoe and render the shoe less flexible because the flanges resist bending.